Alternator (Bat) Light '88 Tbird May 23, 2005, 11:37:04 PM Wife says--Bat light showing so she shuts down and leaves car in garage after 2 starts. I check this out after work and easily hear the alternator whining inside the garage setting. I then smell it starting to burn up. It is very hot to touch and this was a cold engine start with a couple minutes running time!! Take that alternator off--buy another at local place (Not Autozone). Replacement is called an Ultima with lifetime warranty. Put that on (easy job done I think). Start up Tbird. Hear the whine again--low pitch but there--oh no!! Get nervous that maybe tensioner is a culprit. Discount that idea as it couldnt do this to a new alternator in 1 minute. Check tensioner---feels springy, seems Ok to me. Go back to shop and explain story. Also feel stupid--while removing new faulty alternator, I had to stick a screwdriver blade further down into the big harness clip to release it and got a huge spark that left an arc mark on the alternator case (yes folks even tho the contacts are inside the harness body and seeminlgy out of probing reach--there must be a polar exposed plate down inside the alternator --that now produced an arc like a battery spark). Disconnected neg bat wire after checking instructions. Shop smiles--tests bad new Ultima Alternator--electrically OK (whew!) but the bearings are whining they admit. Get 2nd new alternator with 1 year warranty and $20 credit from #1 sale vs the now cheaper one. Put #2 new alternator on Tbird and all is well--no car electrical problems from the spark I trust. Test car--AOK. The original equipment alternator lasted 1988-2001. Number #2 2001 till this week. Quote Selected
Re: Alternator (Bat) Light '88 Tbird Reply #1 – May 24, 2005, 12:06:36 AM I know where you bought that and Sorry to here that you had that kind of luck. Any how I bet the 1yr warranty was a bestest brand. I feel for you. the best test are so cheap becuase they fix the one thing that makes them not work. aka the brushes, didode, rectifier. Where as the ultima should have been a full rebuild. Any how if you can find one most of the store are just adding there A/c delco reman starters and alternators as the ultima line. They quit carring delco reman. Also the Ultima line just got a different maufacturer. The company that makes the brand new master pro alternators and starters is now remaning the ultima line. They had plenty of problems with the pervious one. They are still selling off the remaning old ones at this time. All in all if you want the ine that is gonna last the longest you should up that ante and do a 3G swap. Quote Selected
Re: Alternator (Bat) Light '88 Tbird Reply #2 – May 24, 2005, 09:40:44 AM and,,,,,,,,,,,,replace the large output connector. Quote Selected
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